The present invention relates to a track section for use in an electric toy racing car track system.
In a conventional construction of the type concerned, the electric toy racing car track system includes a loop of track sections which are connected end-to-end together to form a pair of co-extending lanes for respective toy cars to race with each other. Each lane is provided with a central groove for guiding a respective toy car by its bottom guide pin and a pair of conductive rails on opposite sides of the guiding groove for supplying electrical power to the toy car via respective brush contacts on the bottom of the car.
In the majority of cases, each player controls his own car to compete with the car of the rival player in terms of speed. Apart from that, there is not much interaction between the two cars by the players. Some track sections provide a cross junction between the two lanes for swapping the sides on which the cars run, but this arrangement has been known for a long time.
In order to add more fun and variation to the game, the subject invention seeks to provide a track section for a toy racing car track system, which allows one player to change the condition of the lane of the opponent.
According to the invention, there is provided a track section for use in a toy racing car track system formed by a loop of track sections connected end-to-end together to form at least two lanes for respective electric toy cars to race with each other. Each lane includes a groove for guiding the movement of the respective toy car by a bottom guide pin and a pair of conductive rails on opposite sides of the groove for supplying electrical power to the respective toy car. The track section comprises a body providing said two lanes, a hindering device provided in each lane, and a trigger mechanism provided in each lane and including a movable component mechanically associated with the hindering device of the opposite lane for movement by thee respective toy car to trigger the hindering device of the opposite lane for hindering the movement of the upcoming rival toy car.
Preferably, each trigger mechanism includes a trigger extendable into the guiding groove of the respective lane for movement by the bottom guide pin of the respective toy car and in turn moving the movable component to trigger the hindering device of the opposite lane.
In one aspect of the invention, each hindering device comprises a movable member arranged upon trigger to increase the travelling distance of the upcoming rival toy car.
In a first preferred embodiment, the movable member of each hindering device is arranged upon trigger to divert the upcoming rival toy car to briefly move at an acute angle upwards from the body, thereby increasing its travelling distance.
More preferably, the movable member of each hindering device comprises a pivotable ramp which is resiliently biassed by means of a spring to incline at the acute angle upwards and is normally retained to lie flat relative to the body by the movable component of the trigger mechanism of the opposite lane.
Further more preferably, the movable component of each trigger mechanism is resiliently biassed by means of a spring to retain the ramp of the opposite lane to lie flat relative to the body, such that the ramp can be manually pressed down to and be retained in: the flat position.
It is preferred that each trigger mechanism includes a rotatable spoke-wheel which has a plurality of spokes individually extendable into the guiding groove of the respective lane for movement by the bottom guide pin of the respective toy car whereby the spoke-wheel is turned, said spoke-wheel including at least one cam for upon turning moving the respective movable component to release the ramp of the opposite lane.
More preferably, a spoke of each spoke-wheel is accessible on the outside of the body to enable manual adjustment of the angular position of the spoke-wheel.
More preferably, the number of cam(s) is smaller than the number of spokes of the same spoke-wheel, such that the spoke-wheel does not always move the respective movable component to release the ramp of the opposite lane every time the respective toy car passes by.
More preferably, each spoke-wheel includes a ratchet-wheel which is engageable with a spring-loaded member to restrict the spoke-wheel to turn-only in one direction and in a stepwise manner.
It is preferred that the movable component of each trigger mechanism comprises a pivotable lever.
In a second preferred embodiment, the movable member of each hindering device is arranged upon trigger to divert the upcoming rival toy car into a side lane, thereby increasing its travelling distance, said side lane branching off from the main lane at a junction on the body.
More preferably, the movable member of each hindering device is provided at the junction and is movable between a first position to allow the rival toy car to travel past the junction along the main lane and a second position to divert the rival toy car into the side lane.
Further more preferably, the movable member of each hindering device comprises a wedge supported for lateral sliding movement between the first and the second positions.
Further more preferably, each trigger mechanism comprises a linkage which is formed by a first link acting as the respective movable component and having a part extendable into the guiding groove of the respective lane for movement by the bottom guide pin of the respective toy car, and by a second link connected with the movable member of the hindering device of the opposite lane.
It is further preferred that the second link has a part extendable into the guiding groove of the side lane branching off from the opposite lane simultaneously when the hindering device of said opposite lane is triggered, for subsequent movement by the bottom guide pin of the rival toy car diverted into said side lane from said opposite lane to reset said hindering device.
It is further preferred that each of the first and second links is hinged at an intermediate position to the body.
It is further preferred that the linkage includes a third link interconnecting the first and second links.
More preferably, the linkage includes a fourth link connected to the third link, said fourth link having a part which is accessible on the outside of the body to. enable manual adjustment of the condition of the linkage and in turn the position of the movable member of the hindering device of the opposite lane.
In another aspect of the invention, each hindering device comprises a movable member arranged upon trigger to stop the movement of the upcoming rival toy car.
Preferably, the movable member of each hindering device is extendable into the guiding groove of the respective lane for blocking the respective toy car.
Preferably, the movable members of the two hindering devices are supported for simultaneous movement in the same direction, and the hindering devices are provided downstream of the trigger mechanisms.
More preferably, the movable member of each hindering device is resettable by the trigger mechanism of the same lane along which a trailing toy car runs, subsequent to trigger by the trigger mechanism of the opposite lane along which a leading toy car runs, such that the movable member will not stop the movement of the trailing car if the trailing car is running less than one lap behind the leading car.
Preferably, each trigger mechanism includes a rotatable spoke-wheel which has a plurality of spokes individually extendable into the guiding groove of the respective lane for movement by the bottom guide pin of the respective toy car whereby the spoke-wheel is turned, the spoke-wheel including a co-axial gearwheel in mesh with and for, upon turning, moving the respective movable component to trigger the hindering device of the opposite lane.
More preferably, the movable components of the two trigger mechanisms are supported for simultaneous movement in the same direction.
Preferably, each hindering device comprises a part which is connected with the respective movable member and is accessible on the outside of the body to enable manual adjustment of the position of the movable member.
The invention also provides a toy car racing track system including the aforesaid track section.